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The high spreading power of measles-Avoid going to highly contagious

Date: November 21, 2016

After visiting relatives in India, 9-month-old Yang has shown sign of fever, cough, loss of appetite and right side pneumonia. He was then rushed to Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital and received antibiotics treatment.

The next day in hospital, he was found with tiny white spots with bluish-white center on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek and conjunctivitis. Next, rashes consist of small red spots started to appear. Spots and bumps in tight clusters give the skin a splotchy red appearance. The face broke out first, particularly behind the ears and along the hairline and spread down the arms and trunk, then over the thighs, lower legs, and feet.

Dean of Paediatrics Department, Dr. Zhen-Nan Chen, said that measles is caused by infection with the rubeola virus. The virus lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. The infected person is contagious for 4 days before the rash appears and continues so for another 4-5 days.

Infection can arise through physical contact or being nearby with an infected person or infected people, touching a surface that has infected droplets of mucus and then putting fingers into the mouth, or rubbing the nose or eyes.

Dr. Zhen-Nan Chen also reminded parents of having their new-born children received with MMR vaccine. For those children who haven't received the vaccine should avoid going to highly contagious area in order to avoid infection.